Our Move to Germany.

redangie24 · Post by **redangie24** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:45 am

Ok, so I got caught. We moved to Germany last Friday. I was trying to wait to post everything once we found a house, but me and my big ol' mouth!

So we took a flight on Delta and it was direct so it would be as short as possible. We had to get Ivana a new crate because they do not allow giant crates only large.

We had a reservation for a minivan. When we got there, SURPRISE, no minivans. Just a mid-sized suv. We could barely fit everything. We could not fit Ivana's crate in the car put together in one piece so we had to take it apart and she had to sit on the floor in front of the girls. We get to the airport and the car return is away from the airport so we had to get someone to ride with us to the front of the airport to drop us off because of our three huge bags and our chow.

The vet told us to give her beneydryl to help her stay calm on the flight w/o going to sleep. We got her on her flight first and she did really good. Even though she was scared because of having to put her in her crate in front of a very crowded very loud airport. We got there and she was crying very loudly. I waited until we got to the first side stop to take her out. She cried until we got there. Then as soon as she was out she went potty and came and sat in the seat with me. After about two seconds she was happy again. One thing I did not think of until later was the noise. I should have seen if there were some kind of doggy ear plugs.

They really are dog friendly here. I can take Ivana almost everywhere. I can take her the bank, outside cafes, malls, carnivals, Oktoberfest, hotel front desk. The only place she cannot go that I know of so far is the grocery store, but I understand that one. There are lots of big dogs here. She is the only chow I have seen so far and they love her. People are also considerate. No one tries to pet her w/o asking.

When looking for a house it is about 50/50. which are way better odds than the u.s. The houses have this really cool blinds thing. I guess in the summer the sun comes up early and stays up until about 11 at night. So they have these Metal blinds on the outside of the windows. If you put them down no sunlight can get in. They are wonderful. Especially when I was getting used to the time change. I could sleep until I was ready to get up. Instead of having to wait until the sun goes back down.

Our apartment (it is a hotel apartment room) has a back door to the fenced yard so we get to just leave the door open enough for Ivana to go in and out as she pleases. She loves that feature. The first couple of days she just kept going in and out in and out. it was really funny.

Here are a couple of pics. Now please don't pick on her haircut. If you remember when I left town for a couple of weeks. Someone convinced hubby that Ivana would be happier with no hair. Literally no hair no mane, nothing except her tail. It is growing back, but is still very short.

Post by **Auddymay** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 2:21 am

Sounds good! As for the haircut, well, if someone's opinion can outweigh the possible wrath of Angie, you still have some training to do with your DH...lol.

Dogdad · Post by **Dogdad** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 4:44 am

Sounds like Ivana will be very happy, good luck on the house hunt

David

sweetpea · Post by **sweetpea** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:37 am

My brother-in-law took his family to Germany, they loved it. He ended up doing 2 4yr terms there, they use to say when he retired from the army they'd like to live in Germany. Ivana must have settled right in to her new surroundings. She looks great, even with her haircut!

Layla · Post by **Layla** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 8:13 am

I was gonna pm you to ask who the short haired chow in your banner was

My DH is still convinced Millie was happier with her 'haircut' last spring

Glad that the move went well.... I'm quite jealous!

Sharons Chows · Post by **Sharons Chows** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 8:42 am

Good luck with your new life...you guys will enjoy it!
Ivana still looks so pretty. I think that chows adapt pretty well to change.

Sharon

sit_by_the_beach · Post by **sit_by_the_beach** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 8:48 am

Good luck with your house search. Ivana looks good, but she'll look better with chow fur. Winters don't get too cold there.

Karin

carolyn dewrance · Post by **carolyn dewrance** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:36 am

I wish you all the luck in the world, how wonderful to move to a new country, and there are chows there, we in south africa, have imported quite a few from Germany, don't worry you will soon make new friends, and Ivana will most probly make them for you, Chows are a wonderful talking point, do you speak German, or will you have to learn it, What a German with an American accent, what fun, keep up with the club and let us know all you news, I love the pictures of Ivana with no coat, and dont let others kid you it gets just as cold in Germany in winter as it does in America and South Africa, yes we get lots of snow as well, not where I stay, but it has snowed just 10 miles away from us,
Well enjoy your new home, and keep on being your sweet self
Carolyn

Breathless · Post by **Breathless** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 11:08 am

Damn it you beat me to Germany. I still gotta wait a couple more weeks, but then I'm finally outta here, too. Looks like you didn't get any snow up north yet. I've been watching the German news online to prepare myself and I saw it started snowing already. It sounds like you like it so far. DH always used to love the blinds in my parents house, too, 'cause it made the room pitch black. Too bad Ivana lost her fur coat looks like she's gonna need it this winter. She'll like the snow, Baby Bear loved sliding down the hills.

Judy Fox · Post by **Judy Fox** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 11:44 am

Welcome to Europe Redangie and I hope you will be happy in Germany. Ivana certainly looks happy in her garden.

bama · Post by **bama** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:01 pm

Red, I'm glad the move went well.
Your back yard looks great for Ivana! I think Ivana looks
good with short hair...it's brings out her eyes!

The pic of your little one with her blankie is
too sweet!!!

cheriekynb · Post by **cheriekynb** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:55 pm

Ivanna is so pretty and so is your baby girl! Way cute!

redangie24 · Post by **redangie24** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:24 am

sit_by_the_beach--"Winters don't get too cold there." You do realize that we have been living in the south for the last 4 years???? Ivana has always lived in the south. Anything under 70 I normally think is cold!!

That said this amazes me. I am not from here, but the only time I need my winter coat is when I walk my daughter to the bus stop in the morning. Other than that a zip up sweatshirt or just a t-shirt will do fine for me. But everywhere we go the people who are from here are wearing winter coats and double layers of shirts.

carolyn dewrance "Chows are a wonderful talking point, do you speak German, or will you have to learn it,"

So far Ivana has lead us to quite a few introductions. I know only a little German. I start a class soon for conversational German. So far I can say please thank you, french fries (two ways), tomato ketchup (very important otherwise you get curry ketchup) milk, salt, pepper, plate, and my numbers up to 10. So basically I know less than a two year old German child!!!

Breathless-- I thought you were already here. Last time I saw you I thought you were only a couple weeks out from coming here. I like most of it. Especially, the part where my kids are so darn good!! From what I have been told most Germans believe in letting "kids me kids." So my little demon children seem like angels. I am having to work hard to find a stand alone house. Most houses are duplexes. And no closets. I guess they can be taxed for another room if there is a closet so they have extra rooms in the basement. Most people here are pretty nice. What I find funny is even if they speak perfect English they say to excuse their English it is not very good. Darn perfectioists!! Please my German is an insult to the language!!!

Judy Fox-- Thanks I will be heading you way in a couple weeks to visit a friend. She is scottish, but is stationed with her husband in England. I see the girls have crowns. I always knew they were royalty!

bama- thanks can you see what she is using for a pillow? Yup Ivana. The picture is kind of dark so not sure if she shows up in it too well.

Whew, breath.

Okay anther thing I wanted to tell everyone is I wanna be canadian. Not really, but did you know when Canadian soilders get orders to come here, they come two months early to find a house and work out a contract. Then they take it back and no matter what the rent is the Canadian government pays it!! Darn we have a cap that is based on rank, years of service, and family size. Normally we get a set amount, but here you get a cap which means whatever amount you don't use the government keeps. Darn. Normally that is a good place to save some money. Oh, well.

BTW love the German food. mmmmm.

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 5:08 am

I am so happy that eveyrthing went well and you sound so excited. I am sooooo happy for you all! I cna't wait to hear more about everything.

My family's house in Hungary is a duplex also, my mom and dad's and the other side is my uncle's family. The blinds are great aren't they?

I love the food too, when I was in high school, I took German all 4 years and we always put on a little Oktoberfest type deal (minus the beer of course!) but my German teacher always prepared the most wonderful German dishes. Some of things I miss the most about Hungary too are the cheese, bread and a few other desert type items that you can't get here.

Breathless · Post by **Breathless** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:03 am

redangie24 wrote:Breathless-- I thought you were already here. Last time I saw you I thought you were only a couple weeks out from coming here.

Trust me I thought so, too, but you know how it is. Plans got changed as usual and they send DH to all small town in Texas instead. So unfortunately I'm still over here, just in Texas instead of Georgia. *sigh*
Just a few more weeks though and I'll be home.

The whole closet situation I think is almost the same through out Europe. We use a thing called "Schrank" to put our clothes in.
I'm glad you like the food, that's one of the things I miss the most, especially all the different types of bread. Yesterday I was graving Schnitzel, so I'm gonna make me one today.

coleywoley · Post by **coleywoley** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:56 am

We lived in Italy for a few years growing up and they didn't have closets there either. We used wardrobes to hang everything in. We also lived in a duplex but it had a huge yard that was fenced and seperated from the other half of the yard...it was actually I really large duplex overall bigger than a whole base housing duplex. I am so jealous og you...make sure to send us lots of pictures of all the places you guys get to see.

redangie24 · Post by **redangie24** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:33 am

I love the bread. so do my daughters they will eat it plain if I warm it up or toast it. I also love the spagehtti. Not sure what they do that is different, but it is so good. I normally will go in and just point to something on the menu and be suprised when it comes out. I also like the lack of msg in everything. And the hamburgers mmmm. Much better flavor than you get in the us. And all kids of sausages, potoato fried things, oooh and the vinilla ice cream. Don't really care for german chocolate, but darn right everything else..... I think I am going to go walk to the bakery and get some mystery food. OH, but I hate the water. Here if you don't ask for water with out bubbles (no gas) you get carbonated water. YUCK!!

Are you going home or are you getting stationed in Germany?

I have a question. what is a Einwohnermeldeamt? and what are Stadtverwaltung (Führerscheinstelle)?

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:40 am

OMG the carbonated water annoys me too. It's really everywhere!

It's so funny that you said that about hamburgers because I always miss American hanmburgers when I'm over there, I like then better here I think.

Stadtverwaltung translates to "town council" and Einwohnermeldeamt translates to something like an "inhabitant regsitration office," don't know if that helps at all because I have no idea what they are!

Kat will probably know though.

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:43 am

Oh and I think Führerscheinstelle is a place to get your driver's liscence, the driver's liscence is the Führerschein part.

redangie24 · Post by **redangie24** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:50 am

Yeah that helps I was wondering if it was just the regular drivers place. I am trying to get my german license. I need a "residency registration certificate" and take it with a bunch of other stuff to get it. I already got my military one, and I am going to go get my international one. But I want a german one too. Ya know I am darn right greedy.

redangie24 · Post by **redangie24** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:53 am

Oh, yeah, my hubby is with you on the hamburgers. In fact he called me today and said don't make dinner he is going to bring home Mcdonalds. He had to get directions since it is not downtown or at the base, but hopefully he brings home the burgers hot!

ciaobella · Post by **ciaobella** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:19 am

Thanks for the travelogue, it's almost like being there. The only person I know who vacationed in Germany went for Ocktoberfest and became infatuated with the beer, and wasn't even a beer drinker. Something about it being like "bread in a stein", or something.

Glad you are there and SAFE, so we don't have to worry... still pretty slick of you, even if you tipped your hand in advance.

Ivana still looks regal, even with the GI issue haircut.

bubba · Post by **bubba** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:26 am

Guten Tag ..

i spent 5 years in Germany in the last years of the cold war ..

then the exchage rate was much better..

i remember old Chyno went to Italia with us.. he missed the change in NYC and did not arrive until the next day ,, my wife was " fit to be tied"

When he got out of the crate he piddled on evey post and stick for five kilometers..

wonderful Germany .. Beer, Brochen and Bratwurst .. what more could one wish for.

Breathless · Post by **Breathless** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:49 am

Katalin, you already did a great job at translating everything.
Why do you want a German drivers license, too Angie? As far as I remember you can drive all vehicles in German with your Military license. I really don't know much about how to get a German license when you already own a foreign license. I wonder, if you have to take all the tests again. It's a lot harder in Germany than the US. You have to go to driving school and that's very exspensive. You already took a test though for your European Military license, right?
I totally agree with you on the water, I can't stand carbonated water myself, but I also hate faucet water. I always used to buy Evian at the grocery store, that's the only water I liked there. Since you're going to the Bakery, buy some Cheesecake for me will ya. It's so much better than the American one. Oh and since you like fast food, you gotta go to one of those little Turkish imbiss stands and get a Döner Kebap. Can you tell I'm hungry..lol.

I'm just going home. DH is stuck here in Texas for a while, but he will try to get stationed in Germany again eventually.

I don't know why, but reading about your adventures in Germany makes me even more exited about going home.
Don't hesitate to ask me any questions you might have.

redangie24 · Post by **redangie24** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:07 am

I want one just to have one. and because they never expire. Germany has a recipical agreement with individual states. Washington where I have my license I don't have to take the written or driving just submit some stuff to the places. I just wanted to know what to ask people for. Since no one else I know has gotten a German license or even known that they could. My husband would have to take the written if he wanted one. So no go for him!!

This is where I got my info. I just was not sure where the two German places were. Now I just have to find a german or someone who speaks German to go with me so I don't feel like an idiot!!

Oh, and the last set of German classes started in September. They are 8 weeks long and they say there are no more classes until jan. So darn it. I am just going to have to fumble along until then.

yeah, we were told what it takes for a german to get a German license. And that it currently costs between 1500-3000 euros!!

http://germany.usembassy.gov/germany/se ... cense.html